Tulsa Mayor Considering More Money For Arena

Thursday, May 25th 2006, 10:28 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor says the city is not only looking at cutbacks for the arena project - it's also considering pumping more money into it. The latest round of bids was a budget busting $32-million over the estimate.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says construction continues on Tulsa's arena but the final form is uncertain, with construction costs soaring, and the budget fixed, at least up until now.

Mayor Taylor says the budget might not be limited to the existing Vision 2025 money - which is at least $32-million less than what's needed to build the original plan. â€œWe're looking at both the revenue and expense side, from the standpoint if we can find additional private donations and looking at current revenue sources within the city."

But the mayor says a decision won't come for at least a week, when the city must either accept or reject the higher than expected bids. "We are continuing to evaluate every option that we have in the arena."

The arena had come in on budget for the start of construction, but the current contracts run out in the fall. Work could continue if the bids are accepted - but any delay will bring work to a halt - but also bust the budget. The mayor continues to emphasize the only thing that's certain is the number of seats in the arena, but everything else - including how much it will cost - is up in air. "What we will not do is decrease the number of seats. What we certainly hope to be able to do is build the arena that was envisioned."

And on the now reinstated Tulsa Police Chief Dave Been, Mayor Taylor called a memo sent by Been a simple miscommunication. The memo seemed to cancel a review of the police SWAT team - but Taylor says the review will happen in mid June - and that the mayor's office will be heavily involved in it.